Errors in Judgement
by krystalMage
Summary: Non-magical. AU. When Hugo's misguided attempts to join the 'in' crowd at Hogwarts University leave him at the mercy of one Scorpius Malfoy, Lily has no choice but to step in and rescue her wayward cousin. Scorpius Malfoy X Lily Luna Potter. M.
1. The Mistake

**Errors of ****Judgement**

**Extended Summary**: AU. Non-magical. Now a freshman at Hogwarts University, Lily discovers that the price for blindly perpetuating the age-old rivalry between the Malfoys and the Potters is very high indeed. When Hugo's misguided attempts to join the 'in' crowd at Hogwarts University leave him at the mercy of one Scorpius Malfoy, Lily has no choice but to step in and rescue her wayward cousin.

**Pairing**: Scorpius Malfoy X Lily Luna Potter

**Rating**: M for mature themes and some dub-con.

For those who follow my work, you know this is not my usual cup of tea. I had to get out of my comfort zone for this. This chapter involved long conversations and at least ten thousand pep talks from my friend **Freya Ishtar** whose work I admire tremendously. I'm bowled over by the sheer talent she displays every single time she puts up a story. Freya, thank you, for your input and the hand-holding on this fic.

This is also the result of many, many conversations with my beta and dear friend, **aclockworkat**, who is constantly pushing me to be better, who laboriously spots the typos, the weird tense transitions, the sometimes wacked-out syntax inherent in a lot of my hastily put together stuff. Thanks, Cat, and i know I surprised you with this one, but I'm glad you enjoyed it!

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**Errors of Judgement**

**Chapter 1: The Mistake**

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The sound of someone slamming their fist repeatedly into her door startled Lily out of a peaceful slumber born of the fact that her research work for next day's classes was complete and her belly was full. She grunted slightly as she emerged from the sea of bedclothes wedged between the wall and her bed. She rolled her eyes as she spotted the wall not two inches away from her nose. _Probably fell off the bed again_. The banging resumed with renewed vigour. Cursing under her breath, she managed to extricate herself from the blankets on the floor with great difficulty.

"I'm coming. I'm coming!" Lily made her way through the tiny, matchbox apartment she shared with Dominique. She roughly turned the bolt and unlocked half a dozen locks that a paranoid Dominique had installed before they'd moved in. She grabbed a baseball bat and roughly pulled the door open to find Hugo with his fist raised, ready to throw himself against the door again. She stared at him incredulously. "It's three in the morning, Hugo!"

Hugo didn't bother responding. He pushed past his cousin and shut the door, quickly doing up all the locks and shoving the bolt back in place. Lily simply stood there, baseball bat still in her hands. Her eyes narrowed as she watched Hugo cross over to the window and stick his neck out so he could see the whole street. Apparently satisfied with what he'd seen, Hugo pulled his head back inside, shut the window and drew the curtains. He sat down on the sofa and slowly let his head drop in his hands.

Lily's eyebrow twitched irritably. She set the bat back in the umbrella stand and walked up to Hugo. Crossing her arms over her chest, she glared at him. "You mind telling me just what the fuck is going on? You woke me up in the middle of the night Hugo. And now you're sitting here like your cat died. What the hell?"

Hugo rubbed a hand over his face, not daring to look up at Lily. He didn't want to tell her anything. The ensuing verbal harangue he'd have to endure would be painful, but he had no choice. There was nobody else he could go to. Albus would respond in kind but that would just make things worse and besides, Albus wouldn't be around all the time. What if they found him someday when he was alone? What then? James would tell him to man up and accept responsibility for what he'd done. Rose would tattle to their parents, which would probably fix the whole thing but defeat the purpose of coming to college, besides he wasn't a kid any more. He was eighteen years old, a freshman just like Lily, only he obviously didn't have his shit together. He didn't feel comfortable taking his problems to his other cousins. They weren't as close and were far more liable to laugh at him for his blunder.

He glanced up at Lily. Nope, Lily was the only one he could count upon. Besides, she genuinely cared for him. He knew she would scream and shout, maybe even sock him in the jaw but she would see him through this mess.

"Lil, I've made a terrible mistake."

X

Lily took a deep breath as she surveyed the grassy compound directly in front of Slytherin Hall. Rolling her eyes, she glanced up at the blue sky and wondered for the hundredth time why on earth was she even attempting something that could easily be described as the equivalent of taking an axe and lopping her foot off. She glanced back towards the sun-soaked café beside Gryffindor House and groaned. She could be sitting there, enjoying a frappe and listening to Lysander Scamander's dreamy voice. But no, it was her lot to stand here, waiting for an opportune moment when she could cross the quadrilateral compound and enter Slytherin Hall without making anybody in her rabidly Gryffindor family suspicious. She pursed her lips as she thought about the fiasco Hugo had landed himself in.

Damn it Hugo! There were better ways of spending one's time than hoping that the cool clique would magically open its doors to you. Besides, why did he need them anyway? He was Hugo Granger-Weasley…. and her face fell. Yes, he was Hugo Granger-Weasley, the dumbest smart person she knew. But he was _her_ Hugo, and she would be damned before she let some stuck-up, arrogant, smarmy, egoistical, narcissistic arsehole blackmail him like this. So she squared her shoulders, sneaked a glance to the café. Sure enough, Albus was making some poor freshman miserable, Dominique and Roxanne egging him on. Rose was lecturing Lorcan, honestly did the girl not spare even her boyfriend? And Hugo was quietly sipping his tea and studiously not looking in her direction, as she'd told him to. Good boy. So he _could_ do as he was told. They were all busy now. Nobody would notice her absence as long as the poor bloke Albus was ribbing was providing them suitable entertainment.

Lily turned her attention to Slytherin Hall. This was it. Now or never. She could do this. She grimaced as she looked up at the intimidating building housing the Slytherins. Shaking her head, she quickly pulled her hoodie up, hiding her telltale fiery hair, shoved her hands in her pockets and began to amble in what she hoped was a nonchalant pace, towards Slytherin Hall. She had to act like she belonged or they'd shove her out the door before she even found that sneaky git.

She ran up the stone steps casually and stepped aside for a couple of girls that emerged from within the stone building. She ducked her head as she recognised them. It was never a good thing to encounter Mercedes Dolohov and Callista Warrington first thing in the morning. They didn't notice her, which was just as well. Lily nimbly stepped through the door, wincing as it locked loudly behind her. Great. Had she thought of perhaps procuring the password before she entered, no of course she hadn't. She rolled her eyes, hoping that it would all sort out, and perhaps when this whole confusion was worked out then the Slytherins would be gracious enough to escort her out safe and sound. She let loose the breath she'd been holding. Right, that would happen.

Lily glanced down the hall. Even though it was bright and sunny outside, it seemed as though little of that light made its way inside. The hallways were dark save for spotlighting on artefacts and treasures placed at strategic locations along the hall. The walls were panelled with dark wood; the carpet on the floor was a deep forest green. Her feet seemed to sink into it. She lowered her hood. The Slytherins definitely didn't lack for anything. This place was infinitely more luxurious than her dingy apartment. Being a legacy really paid off. Lily shrugged and strode down the corridor curving to the left. She didn't really have an idea of where she'd find Scorpius Malfoy but well, she had to start somewhere.

She frowned as the corridor ended with stairs going up on both sides. Biting her lip, she decided to stick to the left. And began to climb the stairs; the first landing houses freshmen. She recognised a few boys from her Anatomy class. Judging from this, she climbed two more floors and stopped at the third landing. All the doors were shut. She was about to go knock on the first door, when the door behind her opened and someone stepped out. Lily whirled about and winced as she recognised the boy standing before her.

Tristan Zabini was one of those unpleasant, snooty types that never failed to make you feel less than human because your family hadn't been coming to Hogwarts for the past six hundred years or some such nonsense. He hadn't noticed her presence yet or she would have been regaled with some version of a snooty, condescending comment on how she shouldn't be standing in the hallowed premises made sacred by centuries of aristocratic bottoms sitting here. She was about to call out to him when a steely grip clamped around her arm and pulled her violently out of the corridor.

Her feet skid as she toppled head first into a dorm room. She flung her arms out so she wouldn't land on her face. She heard the click of the door about a second before somebody grabbed the back of her hoodie and hoisted her back up before she hit the floor. Seconds later, her back was against the wall and steely grey eyes held her immobile.

"Stupid, Potter. _Incredibly_ stupid of you to come here." His breath washed over her neck and she felt horrified as goosebumps erupted all over her arms and neck.

Her fists shook as she realized that what had started as goosebumps was transforming into something far worse, something so horrible she should not even imagine it. She clamped her thighs together as unfamiliar and entirely unwanted warmth began to pool around her core. She dropped her eyes, fixing them to the floor. Oh honestly, she lived on a campus filled with gorgeous men and _now_ was when her bits decided to wake up?

"What? No come back?" He smirked. "I'm disappointed Potter. At the very least, I expected a threat to cut off my balls with a blunt knife by now." She squirmed, trying to break his hold on her arms. Scorpius merely stepped closer, pressing his knee against her leg. "Or maybe, you don't mind being fenced in like this, by me." He whispered hotly into her ear, his lips touching the sensitive curve of her ear.

Lily pursed her lips and brought her foot down hard on his. Shoving him back, she swept her bangs out of her face and sneered back at him, "Don't flatter yourself. You make me sick."

Scorpius merely raised an eyebrow. "Do I?"

Lily chose not to answer that in the light of her body's inexplicable signals. She stepped away, towards the door. "Look, the only reason I'm here is for Hugo."

His eyes closed off almost immediately. She could tell when the icy exterior slipped back into place. "Come to clean up his mess, have you? How convenient."

"It's not like that. Look, he didn't know what they were planning. When he realized, he left…._immediately_."

"No. He _didn't_." He replied icily. "He didn't leave immediately. He left only after he had witnessed for himself what they did." He scoffed. "He remained until he saw them desecrate the memorial built for my grandparents. He only ran when it became obvious that he would not get away with it." His voice shook with barely concealed anger and his eyes flashed dangerously. Lily took a step back.

She took a deep breath, understanding that she would have to tread softly. "I know you're angry Malfoy, and you have every right to be as well, but Hugo…if you send this to the Dean, Hugo will be expelled. His life will be over."

He smirked. "You say that like it should mean something to me." He perched on the edge of the desk and slowly ran his eyes over her frame, casually lingering in certain places. Keeping his gaze fixed on her, he drawled carelessly, "I honestly don't care what happens to him. I say he deserves it."

His words jarred in her mind and she shook herself free of the strange stupor his words had been putting her under. "Don't just say that like its nothing! This is about Hugo's entire life! Everything he's been working for, everything he's ever dreamed of! You would finish that in one moment because you hold something over him." She took a deep breath. "You can't do this. You _can't_. Hugo has waited for this his entire life. He's never put one toe out of line; he's _always_ done the right thing. He made one mistake Malfoy. Don't punish him for it."

"Oh?" Scorpius looked at her craftily, lips curving in a ruthless, cruel smile. "Who _should_ I punish then? Because you see Potter, my feelings have been hurt. My emotions have been tampered with. Surely someone needs to pay. Someone needs to make sure that I am compensated for what I have lost." He circled her, stepping closer and closer till she felt the warmth of his body floating in the air around her body. She sucked a breath in; suddenly afraid of what was going on. He was doing what was probably natural to him. He didn't have the reputation of being a horny bastard for nothing. But why was she letting it affect her so?

She almost jumped out of her skin as his fingers trailed over her hoodie, rising from the curve of her waist and moving round her back, resting and leaving off just where the band of her bra dug into her skin.

"What are you doing?" She squeaked, cursing herself once again as her voice displayed nervousness instead of indignation.

Scorpius blinked back at her innocently. "Nothing. I haven't done anything yet Potter."

Lily pulled her spine straight and dug her fingers into her jeans pocket. Pulling out a thin rectangular piece of paper, she glanced at him. "Hugo doesn't think things through but he means well. He truly had no idea what they were planning." She shrugged. "I just…wanted to apologise to you for what happened. I hope you can let this go."

Scorpius laughed mirthlessly. "And what are you willing to do to convince me?"

Lily shifted her feet. "I'm sorry Malfoy."

Scorpius waved his hand in the air. "Yeah yeah I heard you. You're sorry. So what? Does that make everything better?"

Her temper flared as her repeated attempts to apologise were stonewalled. Lily Potter did not apologise. Lily Potter certainly did not apologise for something she hadn't done and when such a monumental event did come to pass, whoever she was apologising to had better graciously accept it or get ready to face her wrath. "What the fuck do you want me to say Malfoy? Jesus Christ, he made a mistake. He messed up. Can you get over yourself and forget about it already? What is it that you want?"

Her voice died in her throat as she caught his eye. His eyes were simmering with barely-controlled fury and his lips were pursed in a thin line.

"Let me remind you Potter, that I hold your precious cousin's future in my hands. All I have to do is to call the Dean and tell him who was spotted vandalising the Malfoy Memorial and it's all over. I would suggest you rethink that tone and conduct yourself in a manner more fitting to someone who is beholden to me."

Lily shrunk back. Just like that, with a few words he made her aware of who she was dealing with. This was Scorpius Malfoy, the devil incarnate, the king of the snoots, sworn enemy of her brother. Albus used to say that if you were stuck in a boat in the middle of the ocean with a Malfoy and a rattlesnake, get rid of the Malfoy first. She recalled all the stories she'd heard about him, the limitless depravity he was capable of. Albus had almost been expelled when stories of his visit to a strip club surfaced during a varsity tournament. Dominique couldn't show her face for months after someone leaked a sex clip of her and her then boyfriend online during her sophomore year. All of it led back to Malfoy. No, there was really no love lost between Malfoy's clique and her family.

She looked away, trying to collect herself. "I understand." She pulled her spine straight and turned to him, holding out the cheque she'd pulled out of her pocket. "This should cover the damages to the memorial." Her hand trembled as he glared at the cheque before moving his gaze up her arm to her face and finally to her eyes.

"Are you….seriously offering me money?" He hissed. He left his perch on the desk and walked towards her. Lily felt a shiver race down her spine. He was getting closer. She backed into the wall and cursed the tiny space. She'd have thought Slytherin Hall would have larger rooms for all that they kept harping about how prestigious they were.

Scorpius smirked and shook his head. "I don't think you realize that I can buy your cousin and his whole family three times over and not have to consult my accountant before I do it. Money means _nothing_ to me."

Lily sighed. Her shoulders drooped slightly but her anger returned anew. "Well, that's just splendid isn't it? I'm trying to sort this out Malfoy, so we can all get on with our lives and I don't have to stick around here any longer than absolutely necessary." Her eyes opened wide as he stepped closer to her, boxing her in against the wall. He placed his hands on either side of her head.

"I'm afraid I can't make things so simple for you, Potter."

"What is your problem? Just take the money alright! It's for the damage to the memorial."

Scorpius raised an eyebrow. "Such words from the daughter of the great Harry Potter. What would your father say if he could hear you now?" He smirked. "I thought you Potters were above and beyond offering money as a solution to problems."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Well I don't see you offering any solutions Malfoy. If it's that much of a problem, why don't you just tell me what you want?"

He smiled slyly, a smug look creeping into his eyes and Lily realized belatedly that she had just played into his hands. "Finally getting somewhere, Potter."

She didn't dare respond for fear of compounding the mess she'd talked herself into.

"Cat got your tongue?" Scorpius whispered against her ear. Lily clenched her fists. She swallowed thickly, certain that whatever he asked for wouldn't be easy for her to give.

"What do you want?" She asked quietly, ignoring the hungry way he stared at her.

Scorpius smirked. He took in her large hazel eyes, fiery hair that changed hue with the light, the creamy skin and the promise of supple curves that was presently hidden under the bulky hoodie she wore.

Flicking his gaze downward, he licked his lips. "It should be obvious."

"Well, it isn't." She bit back.

He sighed dramatically. "Must I spell everything out for you?" He smirked. "Fine. I want you."

"What?" Her voice came out as a strangled gasp.

"I want you, warm and willing, for one night." He replied huskily. Lily stared at him in shock before coming to her senses. Scowling crossly at him, she pushed him away and took the two steps that landed her in the middle of the room.

"How could you even ask me something like that? That's disgusting!" She raged. "You ….you really are everything Albus said you were. You're completely depraved, you have no comprehension of common decency and you're…."

"Going to get what I want." He laughed as the blood drained from Lily's face. "Face it sweetheart. The mere fact that you're still here and haven't lunged for my face screaming bloody murder tells me you'll do it."

"You're wrong. I'm not some whore! You can't ask something like that of me. You can't." She replied dejectedly.

Scorpius shrugged carelessly. "Okay. Don't do it. But remember, whatever happens now, will be your doing." He strode over to his desk and picked up a memory drive. "I have no choice but to give this to the Dean. You could have stopped me, but I guess you'll just have to tell dear Hugo that you tried and failed." He watched smugly as she stared at the floor in horror. Her breathing was laboured, her chest heaved. She covered her mouth with her hand, eyes beginning to tear up.

She looked up. "Please don't do this."

Scorpius merely stared back at her. Lily looked around the room as though something would give her an idea to get out of this mess. The room seemed to swim before her eyes and she bit her lip, trying to find her bearings. She sank into a chair, clenching and unclenching her fists. Finally she looked at him, "If…if I do this, hypothetically, will you drop this incident?"

Scorpius smiled at her and approached her slowly. He knelt before her and placed his hand on her knee. "It'll be like it never happened."

Lily ran her hand over her face. Scorpius dragged his teeth over his lower lip as he watched her. "Alright, tell you what. You are really not in any state to make any sort of decision right now, so….I'll give you three days to make up your mind. If you decide to comply, I will have the investigation stopped."

Lily froze. "And if I don't?"

He smirked in response. "Then you can be assured that Hugo Weasley will certainly be expelled before the week is out. I will _personally_ see to it."

"That's no choice at all."

"Smart girl."

Lily continued to stare at the floor. A sudden thought struck her and she looked at him, "What about Mercedes?"

Scorpius frowned. "What about her?"

Lily drew back. "I thought you were dating."

Scorpius shrugged. "We are. So?"

Lily gaped at him. "You have a girlfriend Scorpius." She said almost accusingly. She couldn't believe him. He acted as though it was no big deal that he was sitting here, propositioning her while he was in a committed relationship. What sort of degenerate was he anyway?

Scorpius looked contemplative. He reached up and curled his finger around a lock of her hair. "She's nothing like you."

"But…"

"No one has to know. Its not like I'm going to be shouting it off the rooftops. This stays between you and me. Nobody will ever know." He slowly ran his fingers along her calf. Lily stood and backed away.

"That's not fair Malfoy."

"Who said anything about being fair?" He chuckled. Lily pushed past him and yanked the door open. "Oh and Potter, let's keep our little deal amongst ourselves shall we? I wouldn't want poor Hugo to suffer because your idiot brother or cousins offended me in some way."

"You're despicable." She rushed from the room, the sound of his amused laughter following her down the hall.

X


	2. The Decision

**Extended Summary**: AU. Non-magical. Now a freshman at Hogwarts University, Lily discovers that the price for blindly perpetuating the age-old rivalry between the Malfoys and the Potters is very high indeed. When Hugo's misguided attempts to join the 'in' crowd at Hogwarts University leave him at the mercy of one Scorpius Malfoy, Lily has no choice but to step in and rescue her wayward cousin.

**Pairing**: Scorpius Malfoy X Lily Luna Potter

**Rating**: M for mature themes and some dub-con. This story may make some readers uncomfortable.

**Review Replies**: All four of you! Wow. First of all, Thank you all for showing this story some love. I've always felt that its better to have a handful of good, constructive reviews that actually tell me something rather than a whole bunch of 'update me' reviews that are downright annoying. I appreciate that you have all taken out the time to write me. I was very apprehensive before posting this story because it's not my usual thing but I have become so attached to this story. Archy – it's everything you hoped it would be and you still didn't leave me feedback, Mean girl.

**Aclockworkat** – Honey, I'm so glad you enjoyed this. Yeah, this Lily is more your style. She's older, mature, more self-aware and much more aggressive than the BV Lily. You were the first and I hope you continue to like this story.

**Freya Ishtar** – But for 'Distractions' this honestly might not have been written. Everyone who loves sexy Malfoy men, Freya's stories are bursting with them. Go read them. Read them all. Fall in lust. Misbehave, the works!

**Skylight184** – Thank you. Scorpius is indeed very manipulative and Hugo needs to grow a pair. Manipulative!Scorpius is very fun to write. Stick around!

**Misspotter94** – I am so glad you decided to give this a go. Non-magical AU is soon going to be my specialty lol.

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**Error of Judgement**

**Chapter Two: The Decision**

Lily scowled. It was going to be a terrible day. She knew it. It had all the makings of a terrible day. There were no blueberry muffins on the breakfast menu. She'd almost gotten drenched by puddle water by one of those Slytherin legacy idiots. The front row was packed at her favourite professor's lecture. Lysander Scamander had his arm around Ally Longbottom at the café and Hugo was still moping around, chewing his nails, wondering what would happen to him, which just made her angrier. What the in the world was he worried about anyway? Did _he_ have to sleep with Scorpius Malfoy to get her out of a jam? No!

She looked away. That was hardly fair. Hugo hadn't known what would have happened. Hell, she hadn't known what that smarmy bastard would ask for. Closing her eyes, she leaned her head back, enjoying the warmth of the sunshine of her brow. _I want you, warm and willing, for one night._ She shuddered and opened her eyes with a start as Malfoy's voice echoed in her mind. She looked around. He was nowhere to be seen. Hugo sat before her, staring at her with a puzzled expression.

"Are you alright Lil?" He asked now, his baby blue eyes blinking in the sunlight.

Lily glanced at him. With his curly hair and soft features, Hugo looked almost angelic. Her heart sank. If that camera footage reached the Dean, he would be expelled. She had to stop that from happening. Surely, there had to be some way to convince Malfoy. There had to be something he would accept instead of what he had asked for. She smiled for Hugo and assured him that everything was alright and that she would fix everything.

Hugo smiled at her. "Thanks Lily. I knew you could do it. You're the only one who could convince Malfoy to let this go. And I really am sorry, Lil."

Lily didn't have the heart to face Hugo after that. She smiled at him and stood hurriedly; telling him she was late for a study group meet and that she'd see him later. As she crossed the quadrilateral lawn, she glanced towards Slytherin Hall. It looked every bit as intimidating, as forbidding as it had yesterday. She shook her head and quickly made her way into the library.

Lily breathed deeply once she reached the book stacks. The familiar smell of paper and ink calmed her nerves and she happily settled down to finish the essay she'd started yesterday but had to abandon because Malfoy and his words kept interrupting her train of thought. She worked diligently for the next hour, occasionally standing to consult the odd book. At the end of the hour she was finished. She yawned as she shut her laptop and stretched her arms high in the air.

Her reverie was broken by the sound of a thud then a giggle. Lily turned frowning and rolled her eyes when she heard the telltale rustle of clothes and more thuds. Oh honestly, what is with people! She scowled and began to gather her things quickly. Why couldn't people conduct their sexual affairs in private? This was the library for crying out loud, the only place left where people didn't go around having sex in at random. Shaking her head, she hefted her bag up on her shoulder and was about to leave when she heard someone giggle.

"Scorpius, you're terrible."

He chuckled. Lily could feel the smirk in his voice. "Oh? I thought I was divine."

"Well, that too."

Lily froze, horrified as she recognised that voice. Callista Warrington was Mercedes Dolohov's best friend…what was she doing with Scorpius…okay; forget that, even a half-deaf bat could tell what she was doing with him.

Callista giggled once more. "Ooh stop that."

"Really? You want me to stop?"

"Yes." A moan. "We really shouldn't be doing this." A very loud moan accompanied by panting. Lily rolled her eyes and slapped her hand against her forehead.

"Hmm you're right. We shouldn't have done this last week either." The smugness in his voice made Lily gag. She turned and made puking motions with her finger, then raised her eyes to the sky and asked wordlessly, 'Why me?'

Lily edged to the end of the book shelf and peeked towards the exit. She'd have to walk past the aisle Scorpius and Callista were standing in. She bit her lip and withdrew, finding her self unable to move as she continued to listen.

There was a yelp. Then Scorpius spoke, "Turn over." Lily covered her mouth with her hand in shock. They were actually going to do it, oh my god, she didn't dare move now. Oh heavens, what had she gotten herself into. She looked around, her nerves a frazzled mess by now, hoping against hope that the ceiling would magically open and she would float away or at the very least, plug all the sounds coming from behind the shelf from her ears. As the sounds of wanton sex grew louder, Lily clamped her hands over her ears and screwed her eyes shut tightly, praying to all the deities she'd ever heard of that they'd finish up and leave.

She didn't have to wait long. Callista left soon after she was finished, but not before fixing a time for another tryst. Lily held her breath. Scorpius hadn't made any move to leave. She didn't dare edge over to check what he was doing. So she kept sitting on the floor, hidden from view by the high stacks of books that were to be placed in storage that afternoon. From her vantage point, she spied a pair of handcrafted leather boots walk into the aisle.

She frowned, wondering who it could be.

"I thought you were done playing around with Callista." Tristan Zabini's bored voice held a trace of annoyance.

Scorpius laughed softly. "What can I say? Keeps things interesting."

Tristan scoffed. "Interesting, indeed." He looked around. "Mercedes is getting anxious. She hasn't seen you all morning."

Scorpius let out a sound of annoyance but walked towards the exit without uttering another word. Tristan followed him and it was silent once more.

Lily exhaled in relief. She slowly got to her feet and walked around the book stack. She carefully avoided looking behind and marched purposefully out of the library. Shuddering in disgust, she wondered how long it would take to get the sounds of Callista in heat out of her mind. She clenched her fists.

The library was her refuge. It was the one place where she could forget the world and just be. Books were her refuge as much as her friends. She'd gone there to find some peace, to reach a decision. Pottering about amongst the book stacks calmed her down and revitalized her mind. But after the scene she'd just witnessed, she feared her sanctuary had been sullied, tainted somehow. It would be a long while before she could associate her usual spot in the library with peace and quiet instead of remembering it as the site of an illicit tryst. She crossed the quad and wearily sat down at the foot of an oak tree and shut her eyes.

She felt exhausted. She hadn't managed to catch any sleep last night, kept tossing and turning with Malfoy's voice in her ears. She wasn't certain as to what had startled or shocked her more - the fact that he had asked for something so intimate in such a cavalier manner or the fact that he'd even known she existed. It wasn't as though she was unaware of casual sex or that her sensibilities had been shaken. Far from it. But she had never thought it would ever be part of her particular experience. It was never going to be within her sphere of influence so she had never bothered with dissecting the moral aspect of it. She had one steady boyfriend, all throughout high school. She had lost her virginity to him and it had been everything she'd dreamed of. Connor had been gentle, attentive, kind – Lily grinned as she remembered his mad dash to light candles on every possible surface in his room – and the eventual clean-up of all the wax in the room afterwards. But they'd drifted apart. She'd come to Hogwarts and he'd decided to go to France. She dated off and on since then but there was nothing that would give her the level of comfort that she would need to take the plunge and spend the night with anyone. And now this….

How was she supposed to deal with it? She knew she had to do something. Hugo was counting on her. She frowned slightly. She'd have to speak to Malfoy again. There was nothing else for it. She had to talk to him, and convince him that she couldn't accept this sort of exchange. She couldn't barter her self-respect just to make him feel satisfied that Hugo was sorry. Nodding to herself, she stood and crossed the green.

She walked slowly, almost dragging her feet. What she needed was something she could hold over Malfoy. Blokes like him never did anything unless they were forced to. Now if only she knew something about him that she could persuade him with, then he'd would be open to listening to her and accepting solutions that didn't require her to part with any sexual favors. She stopped and blinked suddenly.

Lily slapped her palm against her forehead and let out a groan of frustration. Why, oh why was she so stupid!? Of _course_ she had something to hold over him. She'd just heard Scorpius Malfoy cheat on his girlfriend with said girlfriend's best friend in the library. It couldn't get better than this! She grinned maniacally. This was it! She had a weapon in her arsenal now. If he wanted to keep his girlfriend, he would have to be a good little boy and do as she said. Her nerves tingled with excitement. She was free of that nasty agreement and she didn't owe him anything to help Hugo. The tables had turned.

There was a confident spring in her step as she made her way to Slytherin Hall. He didn't have anything to hold over her head anymore.

"Scorpius Malfoy, here I come." She muttered under her breath.

X

Scorpius rolled his eyes as his friends tried once again to convince for a night out. He had work to do and spending another night getting wasted and fucking Mercedes was not appealing to him. He had other things to think about. Like the look on Lily Potter's face this morning. She'd been sitting at the cafe nursing a steaming cup when Hugo Weasley had parked himself into the seat opposite and began bombarding her with questions. Lily had looked slightly ill. She obviously hadn't slept the night before and she studiously avoided looking at him.

He smirked. Not that he blamed her. From what he'd observed of Miss No-Nonsense Potter, she didn't like surprises and she didn't like not being in control. Finding herself in a position where she had to succumb to the whims and fancies of another person was probably giving her nightmares. She had barely restrained herself from throwing a massive conniption fit as he'd stated the terms of the deal to her. He smiled, very satisfied with how that meeting had gone. He had to admit, he'd been intrigued at her very prompt response to Weasley's problem. He knew they were close but he had never imagined that she would be the one showing up at his door hoping to solve this particular problem for Weasley. He had expected Albus or Roxanne Weasley and he'd planned to use this to humiliate them, to hear what they had to say about poor Hugo before he curtly told them to 'get the fuck out' and see him in the Dean's office come Monday, but he wasn't complaining. Far from it.

He supposed that he should actually appreciate the fact that Hugo had gone running to Lily. It was the only way in which their paths would ever meet. Lily didn't associate with the crowd her cousins and brother were part of. She was a girl with ambitions, dreams and more than her fair share of idealism. He had seen her at demonstrations, holding a placard and shouting at the top of her voice. She wrote papers on the need for police reforms and limited political intervention in high-profile cases. She fed strays. She was not loath to buying clothing at discount stores, shrugging when her cousins turned their noses up at her attire. It wasn't that she couldn't afford high-street clothes, but she chose not to. Clothes and primping weren't a priority in her mental landscape.

Yes, he knew about her, he noticed her, it was difficult not to. It wasn't just the stunning looks or the contrary attitude or even the fact that she was Albus Potter's baby sister and fucking her would be like a slap across the idiot's face. He had never seen a girl with such a keen sense of purpose. She was a girl who knew exactly where she wanted to be and exactly what she had to do to get there. The confidence of her stance took his breath away every time. There was really nothing more attractive than a woman who knows what she wants.

The constant ennui he lived in held no quarter in her world. He looked for distractions, and making a mess of his personal life was his way to do it. He dated girls whose families he knew his exacting parents would approve of. It was an arrangement that kept them happy and satisfied them that their son would not embarrass the family name by bringing home trash. It also ensured that they stayed out of his personal affairs, as long as he showed his face at the family seat twice a month with the "girlfriend" in tow. His mother would fuss over her. His father usually didn't spare her a second glance.

Scorpius paused on the stairs.

He supposed that his father was probably just happy he hadn't gotten anybody pregnant. He snorted. Trust his old man to have such a low opinion of him. As if he'd do something so stupid. He glanced up as he stepped onto the landing for his floor and stopped in his tracks.

Lily Potter stood outside his door. She wore blue jeans, a white shirt, an oversized, slouchy cardigan and an irritable scowl as she glared at his door.

Scorpius felt his blood surge just a little faster. As he climbed the few remaining stairs, he remembered how livid she'd been yesterday and he swallowed a chuckle. He could honestly say he hadn't been so entertained in years. He stopped as she noticed him. He knew the exact moment she realized he was there. Her shoulders tensed up and her fingers clenched into fists. She whirled around.

"Back again, Potter? You just can't enough of me, can you?" He smirked widely, holding in laughter as she stared back at him in sheer disbelief. Her eyes grew wide and her mouth fell open.

She shook her head. "I swear I am truly baffled by the extent of your self-delusion. I mean, I prepare myself for it but you surpass my expectations _every_. Single. Time. Wow." She crossed her arms over her chest.

Scorpius chuckled and she blanched as her mind registered that it was one of the more pleasant sounds she'd heard in recent times. She backed away as he approached his door. He turned the key and left the door open behind him. She glanced around cautiously before slipping in and shutting the door behind her. She'd scarcely turned completely when she found herself, once again, stuck against the door with Scorpius' lips hovering a breath's space away from hers.

Lily blinked and dragging her eyes away from his lips, very deliberately rolled her eyes. "This again? Don't you get sick of pouncing upon unsuspecting females Malfoy?"

He grinned. "As a mater of fact, Potter, you're the only one I subject to this kind of treatment."

She replied dryly. "I can barely contain my joy."

Scorpius laughed softly, sending slow waves of strange sensation throbbing inside her blood. She clenched her thighs together, once again, feeling that telltale betrayal of her body. "I just can't seem to help myself Potter. There's something about you that forces me to misbehave."

"That has to be the worst apology I've ever heard." She scoffed.

"What makes you think I'm apologizing?"

"Right." She quipped. "That would involve you actually having a sense of morality."

"I have morals Potter, just not the kind that could be discussed freely over tea." He winked at her, stepping closer.

Lily brought her hands up, ready to stop him should he try to press against her. "Back off."

"Why?" He blinked at her in innocence, trailing his fingers down her cheek.

She craned her neck away from his wandering hands. "Because I need to talk to you." She bit out, as he attempted to continue stroking her face.

Scorpius shrugged. "So talk. I can hear you just fine. In fact, I would say I hear you better like this than I could two feet away from you."

Lily let out a sound of frustration as she pushed against him. "Would you stop that? It's not funny!"

His eyes grew dark. He dragged his lips against her neck slowly. "No, it's not funny. The last thing I want right now is to laugh."

Lily pushed him once more and slipped out from under his arm as he gave way. "You are completely unbelievable. I'm trying to say something here and you won't stop pawing at me! God, is it so hard to just listen to me?"

Scorpius sighed. "You have no idea."

"What?" She replied belligerently.

"Nothing. You wanted to talk?" He gestured her to sit on the bed while he took the chair at the desk. Lily didn't even spare the proposed seating a glance. Like hell would she sit on Malfoy's bed.

"Yes. You proposed a deal to forget what you know about Hugo."

Scorpius raised an eyebrow. "Have you decided? I'm surprised. I expected you to sit on it for days."

Lily smirked. "No. I have another deal for you."

Scorpius rolled his eyes. "I'm not interested in a switch Potter. I want you and you're the only one I'll have, so in case you were wondering if I'd fuck one of your less-discreet cousins, I'm afraid I'll have to decline."

Lily gasped. "What! No! How did you_? How could you even think_? How dare you think I would propose something like that? That's disgusting! I would never stoop so low as to demand sex from someone, unlike you." She railed and ranted on in this fashion until she realized that Scorpius wasn't listening to a word she was saying.

Sighing, she stood before him and quietly spoke again, "That's not the deal I wanted to make. All I wanted was to tell you that if you don't drop the investigation against Hugo, I will tell Mercedes about you and Callista." She held her breath. There. She said it. It was out in the open.

There was complete silence as Scorpius watched her without blinking, without moving. Finally, he stirred and shook his head.

"What? What did you say?"

Lily took a deep breath, feeling brave. "I will tell Mercedes that you and Callista are going around behind her back. I don't suppose she'll be very happy about that, will she?" Lily smirked, feeling empowered and strong in that moment. She had something on him. She felt liberated!

Scorpius stood and looking at her with something akin to incredulity began to laugh. Lily faltered and her triumphant grin dissolved into nothingness. He laughed harder as he noticed her confusion.

"Oh you're a treasure Potter. You truly are."

Lily shifted her feet. The world-crushing confidence that had her spirits soaring just moments ago whittled away with the sound of him laughing. "Why are you laughing?" She asked dejectedly.

"Because, you thought you had a bargain and the funny thing is that had it been someone else, this ploy might have worked. But you chose the wrong bloke to play the girlfriend card with, because I don't give a damn what you tell Mercedes." He chuckled as she looked lost once more, once more vulnerable like yesterday.

"You can only bargain with things that have value, and that are precious. Your cousin's future is precious to you...but is it precious enough to make you give yourself to me? That is the question, isn't it Potter?"

Lily clenched her fists together. She had banked so heavily on this one thing that she hadn't even paused to consider that Scorpius might not care. He really was a bastard. She bit her lip.

"You're a bastard."

Scorpius laughed. "No, I'm not. You're not really angry with me Potter. You're angry with yourself."

"I hate you."

"No, you don't. You hate that you didn't figure it out before you came here." He pulled her into his arms. She struggled as he gripped the back of her neck, and held her in place while his lips began to move along her jaw. "But you don't hate me."

Lily swung her fist, hoping to strike him across the cheek. Her knuckles would hurt but he'd have a beautiful red eye to go with his black heart. Scorpius grasped her wrist and twisted her arm painfully, till she whimpered. Holding her wrist behind her back, he manoeuvred himself in front of her.

"That was thoughtless." He rasped into her ear.

"You deserved it." She retorted.

"Be that as it may, you are now physically overpowered by me. This is not a comfortable position to be in, is it?" He asked darkly.

Lily blanched. "Let go."

"Why should I?"

"Because you're hurting me!" Lily struggled against him.

"And I suppose you threw your fist at me with no intention to hurt, is that it?" He sneered back at her. He should have seen that coming. She was, after all a Potter. And they were all of them prone to violence, sooner or later. She probably had a hefty dose of dominatrix in her too, he mused. He couldn't help but imagine her in leather with a whip at her side. The mental image alone was enough to get him hard.

Lily was quick to realize this as well. She froze when she felt the hardness of his length press against her as she thrashed about. Horrified, she glanced up to find him staring at her, "Alright. Just let go." She squirmed. Her arm throbbed with pain and all she wanted right now was to simply claw his eyes out.

"Let's make a deal." He whispered softly, eyes trained onto her face.

"No. I don't want any more deals with you. I just want you to leave me alone!" Her eyes flashed in anger. She jerked her arm violently and hissed as a sharp pain lanced through her elbow and her forearm. She gasped.

"Stop struggling. You're only hurting yourself."

"Don't tell me what to do, dammit!"

"You're going to hurt yourself."

"Then let me go."

"Okay."

"Wait….what?"

"Okay."

"You'll let go?"

"Yes."

Lily was silent for a beat. Her hazel eyes were bright. The persistent pulling and straining was undeniably painful and she was weary and exhausted. The lack of sleep and intense emotional pressure had drained her. Everything had a price.

"What do you want in exchange?"

Scorpius loosened the vise-like grasp he had on her wrist. She winced as her muscles screamed in relief. She watched him carefully turn her wrist over. He inspected the bruised skin with a critical eye. He glared at her.

"You hurt yourself."

"Me?" She scoffed. "_You_ hurt me, Scorpius. You wouldn't let go."

"You aren't hurt because I twisted your arm. You're hurt because you kept fighting me. You kept pulling. It's an arm, flesh and blood. You can't handle it like a bloody wrench and expect not to hurt."

"What do you want!" She asked desperately.

He glanced at her lips. "One kiss."

She bent her head. "Just that? Nothing else?"

"Just a kiss, Potter. I have no intention of seducing you in a dorm room." He said the last two words distastefully and rolled his eyes, as though the idea of having sex in a dorm room seemed ludicrous to him. And yet, she knew what he was capable of. She had heard everything in the library. She decided not to think about it. It would only make her head swim.

Alright then. To get it over with. She stood abruptly, not dignifying the deed by showing her hesitation or embarrassment over it. He had wanted a trade. Well, he would get a trade. She clasped the front of his shirt and pulled herself forward.

The last thing she saw before she shut her eyes was the corner of his mouth sliding up to form a smirk. She pressed her lips to his. Taking his face in her hands, she began to nibble at his lower lip, nipping at it with her teeth, her tongue swept over it, soothing it, exploring his mouth, delving into it with an urgency that betrayed her unease. Her fingers shook against his cheeks and she immediately pulled away. She would have run from the room but for the hand that once again clasped her wrist and this time dragged her back into his embrace.

Scorpius didn't resume the kiss. For a moment, he simply held her close. His fingers ghosted over the back of her hands. His thumbs traced meandering circles into the insides of her wrists before lifting one to his lips. He began to kiss her pulse point. Stroking the fragile skin repeatedly with his lips, he pulled the cardigan off her shoulders until it bunched up around her elbows, locking her hands down.

Grey locked onto hazel and his lips descended slowly onto her neck. He dropped soft, feather-light kisses against the column of her throat, revelling in the feel of her skin and in her futile attempts to stop the moans rising from her throat by biting her lip hard. He brushed his fingers down her throat. She keened as his lips latched on to her earlobe, suckling it gently.

She was not prepared for the relentless manner in which he ravaged her mouth. The tongue was surely not meant to do all that. No man had any right to be able to reduce her to a mass of quivering flesh just by kissing her mouth. Lily gasped and moaned as he continued to kiss her senseless. It had to stop. She had to stop or pretty soon, she'd be pulling her clothes off, just to see, you know, if he could replicate the effect elsewhere on her body, purely from a healthy hypothetical angle. It didn't have to mean anything. It would be like an experiment. It would be for a good cause – for science!

She pulled away from him, turning her neck away, as he tried to follow her. "No. Enough. You've had…enough." She managed to piece together a sentence that worked. Lily felt exceeding proud of the fact that she'd managed a syntactically proper sentence despite the fact that her brain and her insides felt like mush.

She glanced down at herself and blinked in confusion. Her white shirt was still buttoned up. Her jeans were still clasped on. She hadn't lost even one article of clothing. Tentatively, she glanced up, at Scorpius.

He was watching her carefully. Lily looked away and swore softly under her breath. She was doomed.

"Have you decided?"

She met his eyes and found herself nodding in response. "I'll do it."

X

"This is ridiculous. I have clothes Scorpius." Lily raged at the phone. She paced the tiny space between her bed and the door to her room.

"I know, I've seen them. That's why I'm sending you a dress." Scorpius's voice was clipped, brusque, business as usual for Mr. Malfoy.

"No. I won't do it."

"Yes, you will."

"I will not be treated like some escort you rented out for the night."

"Actually, you'll be whatever I want you to be Potter, and you'll do it with a smile on your face."

"I won't_"

"Check your mail."

"What?"

"Outside your door, check it now."

"My door?"

"Check it now before Dominique opens it. I don't think you want to explain the thong to her."

"The what!" Blood drained from her face as Lily raced out her room, through the apartment to the door, just as Dominique emerged from her bedroom. Lily stammered an explanation about ordering books, scooped up the box and raced back to her room. Dominique stared after her before shaking her head and disappearing into her room.

Lily ripped the paper from the box and blanched as she saw the logo at the centre of the box. She had only heard about this place, the astronomical prices, the exclusive designs, bespoke tailoring and strictly private consultation between clients. How had he managed a dress from here so quickly? She gently lifted the dress out and barely stifled a gasp. The dress was made entirely of black lace. It had a classy boat-shaped neck at the front and the back…Lily gasped again. The back plunged about as far as the hip. It was extremely short, at least three inches above her knee. Lily swallowed thickly. She'd never worn anything remotely as racy as this lace dress.

Hands quivering, she fished around in the tissue paper for the other ….article of clothing he'd mentioned. Sure enough, Lily pulled it out. Black, sheer and completely at home in a stripper's closet. Lily flushed as she looked at it. Flinging it back into the box, she stomped to her feet and grabbed the phone again. Punching in the numbers, she swore under her breath and waited for him to pick up.

"Talk to me."

"You are the most despicable, shameless, perverted bastard I have ever had the misfortune to know!" She sputtered into the phone.

"I take it you found the thong."

"In what abysmal corner of your pea-sized brain did you even imagine that I would wear it?"

"It's either that or naked, love. What'll it be?"

"Neither!"

"Now, now love. Play nice. Don't make me keep telling you what's at stake here. It kills my mood."

"I don't care about your mood!"

"You don't mean that."

"I_" Lily broke off. She bit her lip and stared at the floor, feeling out of depth.

"Eyes on the prize, love."

She closed her eyes and shut the phone. Sinking to the floor, she put her head in her hands and shivered.

One night. That's all it was. Just one night. One night of forgetting who she was, what she was and simply letting it all go. She could do that.

She could do it.

X

Please comment.


	3. The Deal

**Extended Summary**: AU. Non-magical. Now a freshman at Hogwarts University, Lily discovers that the price for blindly perpetuating the age-old rivalry between the Malfoys and the Potters is very high indeed. When Hugo's misguided attempts to join the 'in' crowd at Hogwarts University leave him at the mercy of one Scorpius Malfoy, Lily has no choice but to step in and rescue her wayward cousin.

**Pairing**: Scorpius Malfoy X Lily Luna Potter

**Warning: There is MATURE content in this chapter. Consider yourself warned. No flames. Once again, MATURE content ahead.**

Thanks** aclockworkat **for her input on this chapter. And thank you** Freya Ishtar **for the inspiration. cough Distractions cough cough.

* * *

**Errors in Judgement**

**Chapter 3: The Deal**

She glared at the door, staring at the numbers on it as though they would disappear if she scowled at them long enough. She was perfectly content to simply stand there all night, deal be damned, but further down the hall, the elevator door opened and several voices echoed through the empty corridor. Lily blanched at the thought of someone seeing her here. Without wasting another second, she rapped her knuckles against the door.

Lily held her breath as it opened. She looked up to find Malfoy standing there in a crisp, white dress shirt and black pants. Two buttons at the top were open and the shirt was tugged out, yet she couldn't help but swallow a gasp. Her stomach flipped and her pulse began to race. She inwardly railed at the injustice of it all. Why was he able to stand there, looking cool and collected while her heart was racing, with shaky knees and sweaty palms?

He leaned casually against the door, slowly taking in her appearance. His eyes gleamed and one corner of his mouth curved upwards.

Cocking his head to one side, he gestured to her coat. "I don't recall instructing you to wear that."

Lily rolled her eyes. "In case you haven't noticed, it's snowing. The sidewalks are frozen over. It happens to be cold."

"So?" He moved back a step. "I would have warmed you up." He smirked as her cheeks were flooded with red. "Come on in."

She glanced up and down the hallway one last time before stepping past the threshold, into the room. She looked around curiously. It was, as expected, very luxurious. Nothing but the best would do for a Malfoy. The foyer opened into a sitting room, from which a second door led into another room, further inside. The wallpaper held a sheen that reminded her of silk, and a huge crystal chandelier hung in the centre of the room. Near the fireplace was a very comfortable looking, plush velvet armchair; adjacent to the seating area a bronze statue depicting the Abduction of Persephone was placed.

Scorpius himself, however, was nowhere to be seen. She hesitated before making her way forward.

"In here," he suddenly called out.

Lily halted, blinking. The door to the inner room was ajar. She walked toward it, hesitation in her steps as the warmth of the room permeated her skin, making her feel flushed. She flicked the first button of her coat open, grateful as some of the stuffiness she was feeling dissipated immediately.

Scorpius stood outside, on the balcony, a drink in his hand. The moment she came into view, he set down the glass and beckoned her closer.

He placed his hands on her shoulders to turn her around. "Let's get you out of this coat first ."

Lily watched with wide eyes as his hands reached across her chest and nimbly unfastened the buttons, one at a time. Sliding the coat off her shoulders, he dropped it onto a chair. The wind coming through the balcony doors washed over her bare back, sending a chill through her. She turned to face him immediately.

He raised an eyebrow. "Feeling shy, are we?"

"No," Lily said with a shrug. _Yes, Captain Obvious_. She resisted the urge to cringe as she noticed the mirrors—all over the walls. Mirrors, _everywhere_.

Scorpius smiled. "I was right, that dress looks good on you."

Lily absently tugged on the hem of the dress, as her mind whirled. That _was_ a compliment, was she supposed to say thank you? But she hadn't wanted to wear it. This was something he foisted upon her. Her colour rose as she remembered the lingerie she wore—also foisted upon her. _No _way would she thank him for putting her in this position.

How _could_ a woman thank a man who'd turned her into a toy, anyway?

"You want a drink?"

"Um…yes, actually. Whiskey, please." Maybe a drink would stop the infernal trembling she was doing.

"Are you sure?" He stared at her pointedly.

She scowled back at him. "Positive."

His only response was to shake his head and smirk.

"I'm going to enjoy this very much." He turned and pressed a square glass into her hand. "Here. Just whiskey, no ice."

"Thank you." She threw the contents back into her throat, shutting her eyes tight as the amber liquid burned all the way down. She gasped and blinked, curbing the urge to cough as the bitterness flooded her mouth. She forced herself to drink, trying not to think about the way his eyes wandered over her body.

He took his time, undressing her in his mind. His fingers tightened around the glass as he watched her sit on the edge of the bed.

She was painfully aware when he crossed the room in three easy strides and sat down beside her. Propping his chin in his hand, he stared at her. Lily turned to look at him.

He chuckled, speaking in a teasing tone, "You look like you're ready to run at a moment's notice."

"I can't. You know that."

"I know." He brushed his fingers against her cheek.

She tried not to flinch, yet couldn't help edging backward.

His eyes flashed at this movement and he gripped her arm painfully and tugged her forward, towards him. "Don't fight me Lily. It means nothing if I have to take something from you."

Her eyes grew wide at his poorly veiled threat and she stopped her squirming immediately. Forcing herself to relax, she closed her eyes as he continued to stroke her cheek and her neck with his fingers.

She bit her lip as she felt his nose press against the sensitive skin right under her earlobe. His lips followed soon after, brushing her neck with light feather-soft kisses. Her heart thudded inside her chest and she took deep breaths to calm herself down, but the throbbing in her head and the pounding of her heart just wouldn't subside.

A tear escaped as she pushed him away and stood. "I can't! I can't do this." She wiped away a second tear. "I thought I could but I can't…I _can't_ just…oh gods…"Lily covered her face with her hands and shut her eyes tightly.

The sordid reality of what she was about to do hit her with the force of a battering ram. This wasn't her. Sex wasn't something she had ever treated casually, and she couldn't begin now. She couldn't simply sleep with a man who personified everything she despised in men.

She was heaving, fighting more tears from escaping her eyes when she felt warm hands run down the length of her arms.

"Alright, relax," Scorpius' smooth voice reverberated inside her head. He continued to stroke her arms and spoke softly in her ear. "Calm down. It's alright, just calm down."

Lily tried to struggle ineffectively. "I can't calm down. You don't understand."

Scorpius inclined his head, noticing how in her distress, she didn't perceive that he hadn't stopped touching her. _How interesting_. Maybe it wasn't the fact that he was touching her that she had a problem with? "What won't I understand? Tell me."

"No." She sniffed, shaking her head. Scorpius hid a smile at her stubborn, almost childish behaviour. But the girl standing before him wasn't a child. Far from it.

"Tell me." He coaxed, his voice fading away to a whisper. She trembled as he drew near.

"Do I repulse you, Lily?" She shivered as he took her name for the first time since this whole ordeal began.

"I…."

"Yes?"

She took a deep breath. "You…don't repulse me. I just…I don't do this sort of thing. This isn't who I am, it's not who I want to be."

Scorpius sighed. "I know. Is that all that's bothering you?"

Lily glanced at him and slowly shook her head. Scorpius moved closer to her, almost flush against her back now. "Tell me."

Lily looked out, past the balcony doors where stars where beginning to peek out from the inky blue sky. "I'm scared."

Scorpius blinked. "I am not going to hurt you, Lily."

She looked at him, eyes heavy with apprehension. "No, but you might hurt Hugo if…if I don't please you and…."

His eyebrows shot up. Was that what she was thinking? He rolled his eyes. He sat her down on the bed again and fetched a glass of water. "Drink this." He watched as she gulped the water down, and then quietly took the glass from her. He sat beside her once more and, without preamble, pulled her into his lap.

She squirmed against him. "Scorpius…"

"Shh . . . . Just be quiet." He began to move his hand over her back in agonisingly slow circles, making her shiver.

"Have you any idea how long I have waited to have you, here, like this?" He asked, his voice raspy .

She leaned back and stared at him, mouth slightly open in shock. He chuckled. "You never even noticed."

Lily wet her lips absently. "But, you hate me."

He scoffed in response, dragging his fingers down her spine slowly. She trembled involuntarily, biting her lip to stop a moan from spilling through her lips. "And who told you that? Your brother?" He looked at her straight in the eye and murmured, "I've wanted you since the first time I saw you. I was a freshman, like your brother. It was your first visit, I think. You were…in uniform." He grinned lasciviously as he recollected the way the short, pleated skirt showed off toned legs, her sweater stretched snugly over her breasts and her knee-highs made her the lifelike model of his wet dreams. "I couldn't wait for the day you enrolled here. But, your brother makes it very hard to approach you. Did you know? You're untouchable on this campus."

She gasped as he dragged his lips along the side of her neck, suckling and kissing down the column of her throat. "It's so hard to get you alone. Imagine my delight when that idiot you call cousin practically dropped you in my lap."

Before she could respond, his hot mouth covered hers. There were no more thoughts, only his lips touching hers, feeling her.

His kiss was demanding and fierce, allowing no corner to think, to rationalise, and while his tongue plundered her mouth, his hands were making her shudder in delight, in a way that no other had made her feel. It was as if he knew exactly where to touch, without asking her. He deepened the kiss, as he ran his fingers up her sides, until they were cupping her breasts.

A soft moan escaped her lips, as her head seemed to float and her body, suddenly found her dress too tight. It was the only thing standing between her skin and his fingers, as they left sensual trails of burning flesh in their wake.

He tactfully broke the kiss, lowering his mouth. "Were you saying something, love?" He breathed the words between kisses to her jaw line.

Her face was covered with a rosy blush; wide, hazel eyes locked on his face. She licked her lips and shook her head.

He grinned. "That's what I thought."

His fingers moved up to her shoulder and slipped under the black lace of her dress. Watching her closely, he began to slide the dress off her shoulder.

Lily buried her face against his neck, twisting her arms as he needed to set her free of the dress. Her nipples hardened on contact with the chilly air floating in from the balcony.

She realised just how vulnerable she felt for a second, before a gasp escaped her lips, when he fell back on the bed, with her on top, straddling his lap, the bunched up dress around her waist, now forgotten.

He pressed his palm flat against her right breast, cupping the rounded flesh and rubbing his thumb against her nipple. Lily's head fell back and this time, she couldn't restrain the moan tearing from her throat.

Scorpius smiled as he watched her. A wave of smug, male satisfaction coursed through his body, knowing that he had turned a nervous, reluctant girl into an aroused one so easily. The knowledge that he could do anything he wanted to her tonight stroked his ego. She was his, and _his_ _alone_, for the night. Forcing her into accepting the deal wasn't one of his proudest moments, but he was realistic. There was no way Lily Potter would have anything to do with him, unless there was some manner of blackmail involved. Her bubbly and friendly exterior was reserved solely for her family, for everybody else, she was aloof and untouchable. Her brother watched over her like a hawk. And Scorpius mused, as he propped himself up on an elbow and slowly ran his tongue in slow circles around her nipple; his notoriety preceded him.

Lily took no part in the wild lifestyle most of the Potter-Weasleys and Scorpius himself were famous for. Putting her in a position where she would inadvertently do something stupid, rendering her vulnerable to manipulation was tremendously difficult, but as things had turned out, it wasn't impossible.

She gripped his hair tightly as his tongue continued to play with her breast. Her eyes closed in pleasure and she moaned beautifully. Smirking, he bit her lightly and chuckled as she yelped in surprise. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he rolled them over, pushing her into the sheets, now underneath him, all soft curves and lust for him.

She gasped as he loomed over her, his usually stormy eyes had become impossibly dark in lust and they were fixed upon her with an intensity she had never known before. Her breath caught in her throat as his lips crashed into hers. She whimpered slightly as he began to ravage her mouth. Closing her eyes, she wondered if this was how Mercedes felt each time he kissed her. An angry, black thread of envy wound through her breast. She felt aflame with desire and want for the first time in her life and the tragedy was that she couldn't have him for more than this. He was hers, for tonight, just tonight, because tomorrow he would go back to Mercedes and the fascination he'd held for her would subside, because he'd finally had her and whatever mystery it was that he'd seen in her would be unravelled.

Lily clasped his face in her hands and kissed him back with an urgency that surprised and delighted him. Pulling her up, he gripped the back of her neck and began to rain kisses down her neck. His hands brushed up against the material of her dress and he frowned. Lifting his head, he glanced down. Lily's dress was still caught between them, around her hips. He pushed her back onto the bed and gripped the dress. Nudging her to lift her hips, he slid the dress out from under her and tossed it down. He hooked his fingers onto the flimsy, sheer bit of fabric masquerading as a thong and tugged them off as well. He grew painfully hard as he watched her. Her fiery hair contrasted beautifully with the pristine white sheets. Glancing down along the length of her body, he felt his heart race at the thought of tasting her. He ran his hand down her neck, over the mounds of her breasts, counted her ribs before laying his hand flat upon her stomach. His hand curled around to grasp her waist. He bent to touch his lips to her ribs, leaving a trail of kisses over her stomach. As he dipped his tongue into the small indentation of her navel, Lily sat up with a gasp and pulled back suddenly.

Scorpius frowned slightly and looked at her curiously. She was panting slightly. She smiled, "I don't think it's entirely fair that I'm naked and you have yet to lose your shirt."

He smirked. "Yeah? Well, what are you going to do about it?"

Lily tilted her head to the side. She slowly slid forward on her knees and clasped his shirt. Feeling his eyes upon her, she quietly undid the buttons one by one, all the while trying not to blush and failing miserably. Pushing the shirt off his shoulders, she dropped it on the floor. She didn't dare look up to see what kind of smirk graced his face now. She didn't really know what had come over her, but she suddenly felt the need to prove to him that she was better than Mercedes. That she could be, even if just that night alone, a seductress who knew exactly what she wanted . Slowly, very slowly, she raised her fingers and traced his collarbone, trailing them, mimicking his touch on her body. A mad urge to taste him, to see what his skin felt like took hold of her and with a raw, animal instinct, she moved her head forward and touched her lips to his chest. He jerked slightly and she smirked, giddy happiness burst inside her chest to know that she'd done something that had surprised him. She continued planting butterfly kisses down his chest, mentally patting her back when she decided to vary things just a little by letting her tongue get into the action as she mirrored his actions by kissing, licking and biting in quick succession. She placed a kiss on his hipbone, just above the waistband of his pants when he pulled her up.

"You're such a tease."

She blinked back at him innocently. "I thought you'd like that."

"Oh, did you?" He grasped her arms and slowly lowered her onto her back. Her legs twisted out from under her. "If you're going to start something, you better be prepared to finish it." Her eyes grew impossibly wide as his mouth hovered over her body not touching her anywhere, simply floating a mere inch above her skin. She squirmed and tried to arch her body against his but he pushed her down.

"Are you in a hurry, Lily?" She blushed.

Scorpius looked up, his eyes dark with promise. A wicked grin curved around his lips. Lily felt a jolt deep inside her body. "You're mine for the whole night. Don't worry. I intend to make sure you're completely debauched when you leave. You won't be able to walk straight by the time I'm done with you." Suddenly without warning, he kissed under her navel. She jerked in surprise and watched mesmerised as his lips began to move further down. He ran his hand up her thigh. Lily shivered with anticipation. Her breath caught in her mouth, and her fingers gripped the sheet beneath her.

His mouth closed around her and she almost screamed as her muscles convulsed in reaction. He flicked his tongue against that bundle of nerves repeatedly and she writhed as pleasure exploded inside her body. Ten thousand thoughts raced in her mind, at the foremost of which is that he's there, he's _there_, he felt so different. He felt different than when his lips were nuzzling her neck, he felt removed from the man who shoved her against his door and breathed hotly against her ear, he felt so much different than the cold man who asked for her body to settle things with her cousin.

Scorpius lightly grazed her with his teeth, making her buck her hips in response. Lily moaned loudly, unable to stem the tide that took her away from reason and rationale. Her mind floated back to him again and her fragmented observations began again. His tongue was different than his fingers. He was greedy and relentless and she knew she was doomed because he had unravelled her completely. She knew she would never look at him the same way because he was going to take her in a way she had only ever dreamed of until that moment.

_He is inside her now. _

Lily panted heavily, one hand reaching down to grip his hair tightly, jerking as his tongue ran trills down the middle, then moved away and sucked upon the tiny bead at her centre. He alternated between quick pulls and languid licks of his tongue. As her world shattered and her body broke in sensation, she let out a scream.

Scorpius smiled; that wicked smile that had her insides twisting again. Cupping her face in his hands, he closed his mouth upon hers, his tongue twisting and curling around hers. She could taste herself on his mouth and that knowledge was something that scared and thrilled her in turns. How had she lived all these years without feeling even a fraction of what he'd just put her through?

He stood suddenly. She looked up startled, only to blush again as he slowly removed his belt and undid his pants. He smirked as a blush stole its way across her face.

"Don't go shy on me now, love." Lily laughed softly before playfully covering her face with her hand. She peeked out at him through the crack in her fingers and swallowed thickly as she looked at him, all of him. He was gorgeous. There was a tell tale rustling as he ripped the plastic covering and slid it on. She held her breath as he hovered above her. His hands slid up her sides, agonisingly slow. He kissed her shoulder, then her neck and tilted her head up to reach the hollow of her throat. She ran her fingers along his shoulders, revelling in the feel of his smooth skin. As her hand began to wander down his stomach, he suddenly grabbed it and pulled it up above her head. Holding her in place he kissed her roughly before positioning himself at her entrance.

Lily felt her breath escape at the first feel of the velvety texture of him. He stared into her eyes, a storm simmering just under the surface. Suddenly his gaze softened and he brushed a thumb across her cheek. "You're beautiful Lily. So beautiful it hurts." She almost didn't hear him. It was almost as though he didn't want her to hear, but she had no chance to question him, because in the next moment he plunged inside her. Lily dug her fingers in his shoulders and gasped. He filled her deliciously. She felt her eyes close in pleasure. Her mouth parted in a mewling sound.

He moved out slowly only to return again and again, each time a little faster, a little harder. He kissed her again and again, as though he hoped to burn himself into her skin. He was losing control, his movements becoming ragged and rough but he couldn't stop. Because there was no need to pretend anymore, no need to remember the name of the girl he was with, because her name wasn't one he would forget, ever. She was his, _his_ and she was here, in his bed, legs wide open for him, fingers digging into his arms, his name on her lips, his name in her desperate panting, his name when she screamed as he drove her over the edge.

A fierce white light burst underneath his eyelids and he grunted loudly as he finished. He rested his head on her shoulder for a moment, listening to her breath whoosh in and out of her lungs. Her eyes darted towards him and she bit her lip. His eyes narrowed and he leaned over and soothed the cut on her lip before nibbling it slightly himself. Kissing her cheek, he drew back and pulled out of her.

Lily winced at the uncomfortable sensation and drew her legs together. Pain exploded in the sides of her thighs and she curled up on her side, rueing the loss of the warmth of his body. She began to sit up, but his hands stopped her. They pulled her back against a warm chest and held her there.

"Sleep." He mumbled into her hair.

"I should go…"

"Just sleep. Don't think." His arms tightened around her waist and his breath wafted over her neck.

X

She woke to the sound of curtains flapping in the wind. The light seemed to pierce the familiar cocoon of darkness under her eyelids. She stretched her arm out, searching. Her hand moved over cold, unfamiliar sheets and her mind snapped to attention. The myriad pieces of the puzzle feel in place and she remembered where she was, remembered the deal, and remembered everything. As though on cue, a flash of pain tore through her nether region. Lily groaned and turned on her side. Biting her lip hard, she pushed herself up, off the mattress. Looking around blearily, dread crept into her heart as she saw her dress, flung far away in the corner of the room; her thong lay twisted in the bedclothes. She was here, and Scorpius….nowhere to be seen.

The acrid smell of a cigarette wafted towards her and she scrunched up her nose distastefully. Turning to the balcony, she clenched her fingers as she saw him. He was standing at the door to the balcony, dressed in a formal suit. As she sat straighter up in the bed, he glanced at her. Her heart dropped into her stomach at his cold gaze. He turned to look her and she became painfully aware of her nude state. Hurriedly, she grabbed a sheet and pulled it up around her breasts, cheeks burning in shame. Who was this man? Was he the same man who had soothed her fears and given her the most pleasurable sexual experience ever?

Her lips trembled and she could feel the tears prickling at her eyes because something was wrong, so very wrong. Her gut twisted and she knew she was about to experience pain, pain unlike any other she'd ever known in her life as Scorpius nonchalantly stubbed the cigarette out and strode towards the bed, hands firmly stuck in his pockets. Stopping just before her, he removed a hand from his right pocket and flicked something towards her. She looked down. A small memory drive, the same one she'd seen in his apartment lay before her on the crumpled sheets. She looked from it to him, eyes wide and confused.

"I told you I'd give you everything I have on Hugo once the terms of our deal were met. There you go." His eyes were cold and completely emotionless. He looked at her as one may look at a painting or object. He glanced around the room.

"The room's yours whenever you decide to leave." He ran his fingers through his hair and nodded once. Turning on his heel, he strode out of the room without a backwards glance.

Lily stared at the memory stick. She reached for it and picked it up. It was strange, how such a tiny thing could be so important, have such a high price. She had paid for it with her body, her dignity, her everything.

She trembled as a chill spread over her. What had she done?

X

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"You're late." Draco murmured softly as his son slid into the seat beside him. "Mercedes has been here for hours."

Scorpius shrugged. "Has she?."

"Your mother is upset."

Scorpius winced. Upsetting Astoria Malfoy was never a clever thing to do. He looked to the front of the room, where his mother addressed the ballroom from a podium. Everything about her, her dress, her hair, the softly gleaming pearls around her neck, were perfect. She captivated her audience with witty lines interspersed with arguments in favour of donating for the cause of the day. She was every inch the society queen. The ballroom echoed with the sound of enthusiastic and steady clapping as she left the dais and walked towards the Malfoy family table.

Scorpius pursed his lips. "Something came up."

Draco glanced at him. His eyes grew wide, and then crinkled in amusement as he spied a red splotch just above his son's shirt collar. "I'm sure it did. I just hope she was worth it."

Scorpius sputtered even as Draco rose gracefully and held his hand out to his wife. "Darling, you were great."


	4. Regret

**Errors in ****Judgement**

**Chapter 4: Regret**

Lily watched him walk away. The cold seed of guilt and self-loathing burrowed deep inside her breast and began to fester. Her body trembled in the stuffy atmosphere of the room. She glanced down at the memory drive and recoiled violently. Without wasting another moment, she swung her legs over the bed and stood. She _needed_ to leave. There was no way she could remain here any longer. Tendrils of pain shot through her feet and she fell back on the bed.

"Pins and needles, you stupid, _stupid_ girl." She muttered. "Your legs are still asleep. Hell, your brain was asleep to begin with…." She trailed off as she caught her reflection in the mirror behind the headboard. Her hair was a mess, but as her gaze lingered lowered down her neck, she swallowed thickly. Her hair was the least of her problems. The evidence of her humongous indiscretion was glaringly visible all over her body.

Lily clenched her fingers into the sheets and leaned forward. She stepped down gingerly this time, carefully placing one foot before the other. The pins running along her skin diminished in strength, steadily dissolving away to nothing. She stood. Ignoring her reflection, she quietly retrieved her dress and after a heartbeat, fished out the thong from the bed. She bit her lip and quickly stepped into it. Keeping her head down, she pulled the dress on and looked about. Her coat was still on the chair in the balcony. She winced with every step she took to the balcony. Clamping her hand down on the chair, she picked the coat up and swung it around her shoulders. Pulling her hair out from under the collar, she swept her eyes across the room one last time before grabbing her clutch and walking out.

She avoided looking at anybody, as she left the elevator, certain that her wobbling gait would make it obvious to anyone who bothered to look that it was a walk of shame. She hailed a cab and was fortunate enough when one stopped almost the instant her hand shot up in the air. She let her head fall back and closed her eyes. She panicked as the first shudder raced through her body. She sat up and looked out the window, forcing herself to watch the city as it rushed about. She clenched her fists together, as though it would stop the tears in her eyes. She blinked rapidly.

"Stupid, stupid _stupid_." She muttered. What had she expected? What _had_ she expected would happen the next morning? That he'd kiss her softly, gently like he had last night, just before he'd taken her? That they'd have some sort of conversation where he'd soothe her fears and let her believe she hadn't just whored herself out to him. That he'd hold her hand and let her know she was everything he'd ever wanted in a woman? That he would leave Mercedes and become hers, hers alone? That Mercedes, Callista and every other girl on campus he'd ever slept with didn't exist anymore? That somehow, between seeing her at the door and fucking her senseless, he'd sprouted an emotional attachment to her and now…..she was such a fool.

"Lily, you goddamned _fool_. What have you done?" She whispered to herself. She jerked forward as the cab stopped. Glancing out the window, she noticed it was her building. Numbly, she paid the cab driver and winced as she got out. Standing on the curb, she quickly glanced around to check if anyone familiar was out right now. It was late morning; people were expected to be up and about. She ignored her screaming muscles and raced up the steps to the door. She turned the key in the lock rapidly and slammed the door shut behind her. She didn't have to wait for the lift. She faltered before lifting the corners of her mouth at the old man who got off. He smiled genially at her and ambled away.

She punched her floor button and waited as the old lift whirred to life and leisurely creaked up the floors. She stared at the ceiling and prayed that Dominique had already left. She really didn't need to face twenty questions from her right now.

Lily took a deep breath and slowly turned the key. She peered around the door and breathed a sigh of relief. The door to Dominique's room was shut and a bright, neon pink sticky note on the Entry mirror told her she had left for an early class and would be back late. Lily stepped inside the apartment and wearily made her way inside her room. She let the coat drop and quickly shrugged the dress off. Stepping out of the thong, she let it lie there and walked into the shower stall. Turning the water on to full blast, she slowly sank to the floor and wrapped her arms around her slender frame.

Vaguely, she registered the swirling water disappearing down the drain. She willed her body to move but nothing happened. She just sat there, slumped against the cold glass of the shower stall. She hiccupped. Her shoulders shook and without another moment's notice, tears seeped out of her eyes and mingled with the water rushing down her body. She pulled away from the glass wall and leaned forward, curling her legs under her. Wrapping her arms around her stomach, she cried piteously. Had she known, had she known this would have happened, had she known that the sight of him walking out of that room without a backwards glance would tear her in two, she would have never, _never_ agreed to it. Not for Hugo, not for anything because the tears wouldn't stop and that cold stone of misery sat heavily on her chest. She till cried her eyes burned, till her nails digging into her palms no longer evoked any sensation. She cried for the mad abandon which she'd allowed herself to feel last night in his arms. She cried for the aching desire she now felt in her core as she thought of him. She cried for the memory of his hands, his mouth and the magic he wielded, for the storm he unleashed in her heart. What had she _done_?

Lily clenched her fingers into fists and slammed them down on the stone floor of the shower. She felt nothing. Letting out a cry of frustration, she raised her fists once more and slammed them down again and again till her fingers rattled and the skin covering her palms split. She stared numbly at the twisting ribbon of red twirling and curling along the water down the drain. She stared at her palms in surprise. Numb to the pain, she wondered why her hands were covered in blood. She raised her hands, bringing them under the steady stream of the shower and watch mesmerised as the blood washed away, revealing the jagged tears in the skin whence blood seeped out stubbornly. She laughed bitterly and reaching up, shut the water down.

She hadn't been in love with him. She barely knew him. He was….

She let her head fall back. What had she done?

X

Scorpius watched absently as buildings grew scarce and were replaced with miles upon miles of lush countryside. Dark trees dotted the landscape. He was on his way to Malfoy Manor, the centuries old Malfoy family home. Of course, the baroque exterior, the gnarly gargoyles and winding corridors didn't exactly appeal to him, he couldn't deny the part of him that swelled with pride and affection when he saw the gigantic house where he'd spent his childhood getting into trouble with his parents and coddled by his grandparents. He glanced down at himself and frowned as he spotted a strand of vibrant red hair stuck to his cuff. He raised his hand to look at it carefully. He lifted it and examined it meticulously under the sunlight streaming in from the window.

The colour was….strange, to say the least. It wasn't the blazing orange of the sunrise, it wasn't the pulsing crimson of blood, it wasn't the cloying red of liquorice, and it wasn't any of those. He rubbed the strand between his fingers. It stood out against his pale skin. He clenched his fingers together, so the delicate strand wouldn't slip away.

When he'd woken that morning, he'd felt her heady scent surround him before anything else. She'd been pressed against him, soft...so soft. Her cheek mussed up against his chest and her breasts pressed against his side. He'd stared at her for a long minute, wondering if he should wake her, tell her to move. But she felt so good, just lying there with him. He shifted slightly and she let out a moan of protest and clambered closer to him, patting his chest before putting her cheek back on it like a pillow. He'd laughed out loud but she'd been too sleepy to notice. He turned on his side, facing her. She mumbled something and turned away. He stared at her back, fascinated by the freckles sprinkled over her creamy skin. He traced her spine with his finger. She flexed her back in response. He held his breath and when she didn't stir, he leaned forward and pressed his lips to her back. She shivered. He placed a hand on the curve of her waist soothingly and continued to leave barely-there kisses along the length of her back. She turned into his arms and he kissed her softly on her neck before his brain finally caught up with what he was doing and jarred him back to his senses. What was he doing – _cuddling_ with Lily Potter? He stiffened. Glancing down, he drew a long, shaky breath before pulling away from her. She moaned as he drew away.

He stood. What was he doing? He'd gotten what he wanted. What else did he need from her? Nothing. Hadn't he already taken what he wanted? She had nothing more to give him. There was nothing else there – so why was he still here? He swallowed as his eyes refused to peel away from her sleeping form. She was truly beautiful. He backed away before turning and entering the bathroom. He'd needed a shower, a very cold shower before he could finally control himself enough not to simply sink onto bed with her again.

He wasn't proud of what he'd done. He could see it in her eyes – he had known the exact moment when she had crumbled, the moment he'd reduced her to an object and tossed the memory drive and the night they'd shared in her face.

He closed his eyes. Her face, flushed from shame and humiliation and above all, betrayal when she looked at him, haunted him behind his shut eyelids. He wrapped the single strand of hair around his finger and as the car stopped before the majestic double door to the house, he realized what colour it was. It was the fresh, vibrant colour of autumn leaves.

X

Inside, the steady hum of voices and the soft, clinking of champagne flutes provided suitable music to accompany the riveted audience that listened to Astoria Malfoy as she spoke. The words that she spoke were unremarkable in themselves but it was the irresistible cadence with which she moved, spoke and chose her words that fascinated her listeners. She possessed the rare art of captivating a crowd by a few simple, uncluttered sentences. She did not use florid language or weave words about in circles like so many of her contemporaries. It was perhaps the simplicity with which she often presented her argument and opinion that made her so effective.

She paused to take a quick sip, silently surveying the room. Her son had yet to arrive but it was not something that surprised her. Scorpius didn't take anything seriously. She would be worried if she doubted him and his ability to handle the responsibilities that came with the wealth and the status of the Malfoy name. However, she had faith in her son and she recognised that his wild lifestyle was perhaps, just his way of rebelling against the carefully orchestrated nature of his life. She couldn't blame him to trying to make a mess of things but she knew that he realized what the stakes were and she also knew that he would one day, accept everything gracefully and do his best to uphold the family name and pride, just as Draco was doing now.

After all, it wasn't as though Draco hadn't had dreams. Or that she had not wanted to be someone else, do something else. But it isn't always possible to do what one would like in life. There are certain responsibilities that have to be honoured and respected and carried out. She had dreamt of being an art teacher. Her idealistic streak had lasted only a couple of years before she had become so disillusioned with the system that smothered her initiatives to launch independent art education programs for public schools. But she had failed miserably. 'Art did not matter', she was told. It wouldn't equip a child to survive in the world; therefore it was something that could be dropped from the curriculum. Nothing was possible until you had money and power. So she abandoned the rigmarole of making presentations to education committees and retreated to the upper crust, abandoning her grand schemes for levelling the plating field if you will. She had sold out, given up and been defeated by the ennui that greeted her effort everywhere. And then, she'd met Draco.

And her world had changed.

Now, she owned a stake in Draco's company and signed off millions of pounds every year to support art programmes at primary and secondary schools across the country. Her dream had found wings and she had found a purpose after getting lost.

She smiled as she spied Mercedes trying to make small talk with a group of very generous benefactors. Mercedes had a long way to go, but she was learning. Now if only her son was serious about her. She was a good girl, from good stock. Her attitude left a lot to be desired but she loved Scorpius, and sometimes that was enough.

She set the flute down and minutely adjusted the gleaming rope of pearls around her neck before she smiled graciously and took the stage to address the room.

X

Scorpius slipped into the ballroom, cringing as he saw his mother already speaking from the dais. He had hoped he'd make it before she noticed. There was nothing to be done about it though. He looked around and spotted his father seated at a table in the middle of the ballroom. He quietly made his way over, nodding and smiling at various associates of his father.

"You're late." Draco murmured.

Scorpius winced before shrugging the comment off. His father was perpetually amused by one thing or another. 'The world is an amusing place, Scorpius. We're surrounded by idiots.'

"Mercedes has been here for an hour." Draco glanced at him.

Scorpius controlled the urge to roll his eyes. "Has she?"

Draco didn't miss the almost caustic vibe accompanying his son's response. He wondered if Scorpius' interest in the lovely Ms Warrington had faded. Why else would a man be so vexed that his girlfriend was finally making progress in getting along with his family. He carefully filed away that bit of information for later.

"Your mother is upset. You should have been here earlier." Draco suppressed a smirk at Scorpius's reaction. It was astounding that Scorpius was actually wary of making his mother angry despite his highly publicised 'devil-may-care' attitude. He was going to add fuel to the fire when he saw it.

"Something came up." Scorpius replied.

There was an unmistakeable smudge of red just above Scorpius's collar. Gears shifted in place and Draco realized that what he'd suspected for a long time was actually true. "I'm sure it did. I just hope she was worth it." He did not wait to see his son's reaction as the ballroom exploded in applause and he could see Astoria making her way towards them.

He rose and clasped his wife's hand. "Darling, you were great."

X

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